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Estuary goby (Psammogobius biocellatus) — Gobiidae

Estuary goby

Psammogobius biocellatus
Family: Gobiidae
LC · Least Concern

The Estuary goby (Psammogobius biocellatus) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Gobiidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
19.8 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
0.0–3.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The sleepy goby is a goby (Gobiidae) from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 9 cm and has an elongate, sand-coloured body with a marbled pattern that camouflages it on the bottom and, like other gobies, fused pelvic fins forming a sucking disc. It inhabits intertidal areas, estuaries, lagoons and coastal rivers and is common in mangroves; sometimes it penetrates the lower reaches of freshwater streams. On the bottom it forages on small invertebrates. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Estuary goby?

The Estuary goby has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Estuary goby live?

The Estuary goby lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around mixed bottom.

How big does the Estuary goby get?

The Estuary goby grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Estuary goby dangerous to humans?

No, the Estuary goby is harmless to humans.

Is the Estuary goby edible?

The Estuary goby is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Tweevlek-zandgrondel sourced
English name
Estuary goby verified
Scientific name
Psammogobius biocellatus
Family
Gobiidae
Other names
Mangrove goby; Sleepy goby verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
19.8 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
3.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Psammogobius

More from the family Gobiidae

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